APTX, a leading developer of licensable intellectual property for consumer audio compression, has appointed APACHE Korea Corp. (Seoul, Korea) to provide sales, vertical marketing and technical support for apt-X audio codec technology in the Republic of Korea. APACHE Korea, an established distributor of digital wireless audio solutions – including Bluetooth, UWB, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee components – to indigenous Korean consumer electronics manufactures, further extends APTX’s international network sales offices covering North America, Europe and Japan. APACHE Korea already represents numerous other providers of consumer wireless and audio processing devices, including Bluetooth chipmaker CSR, integrated microphone specialist Akustica, and audio processing silicon vendor VLSI Solutions Oy.
Commenting on the new distributor agreement, Noel McKenna, the CEO of APTX, said: “South Korea ranks among the world’s high-tech superpowers, especially in consumer audio, video and mobile phone design and manufacture. These are major target markets for apt-X compression technology. We are very excited about the design win opportunities for apt-X in consumer electronics products of the kind that are constantly being developed in South Korea, sophisticated products with global market appeal. APTX is delighted to bring on-side an ambitious company with the proven business acumen and vertical market knowledge of APACHE Korea, a successful electronics distributor operating in the creative digital hub of such a vibrant high-tech economy.”
Mr. Y.K. Chung, the President of APACHE Korea, said: “APTX is an established force in broadcast audio codecs, and now, thanks to the digital revolution, there’s strong traction for apt-X compression in consumer audio, video and mobile. The apt-X solution complements APACHE’s existing technology offerings for the niche markets for digital audio we understand.”
apt-X in Consumer Electronics
In contrast to other forms of lossy and lossless audio codecs, apt-X is uniquely designed for ultra low-delay transport of broadcast-quality multi-channel audio over wireless links and digital circuits, including IP networks. These same performance attributes make apt-X compression ideally suited to a variety of wireless audio technologies – both standard, such as Bluetooth, and proprietary – deployed in consumer electronics and professional audio.
The growing range of apt-X audio codecs includes Enhanced apt-X, mainly deployed in professional audio applications (multichannel audio for video, broadcast codecs, etc), stereo Bluetooth A2DP and wireless speaker systems, and apt-X Live, for channel-efficient digital wireless microphones, in-ear monitoring, and low-bit-rate 2-way communications (intercom, PTT radio, audio-over-IP). Lossless and Scalable versions of the apt-X algorithm will be introduced later this year.
About APTX (APT Licensing Ltd)
Trading in semiconductor intellectual property since 1989, APTX provides industry-leading audio compression solutions to the broadcast, professional audio, and consumer electronics industries. The company’s apt-X audio codec technology has earned a reputation throughout the audio industry as the ultimate high-quality, low-delay audio data compression algorithm available. Today, apt-X technology is licensed for use in broadcast audio codec hardware, professional audio systems, and consumer electronics devices, including portable media players and mobile phones, Bluetooth stereo headsets, and wireless microphones. Headquartered in Belfast, Northern Ireland, APTX also has direct sales offices in the USA and Japan.
About APACHE Korea
APACHE Korea Corp. is a division of Apache Communications, Inc. in Taiwan and was founded in 2003 by Mr. Y. K. Chung. APACHE Korea is known as a leader in audio technology with a full line-up of innovative hardware and software companies.
